To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:27-30
“The Bible is full of those serendipity truths – often the inverse of what our natural minds understand. For instance – salvation is free, but it comes with demands.
It is better to give than to receive. When a man strikes you on one cheek, turn the other to him. If you have two coats, give one away. If someone asks you to walk one mile, walk with him two.
Often so surprising – so inverted is this spiritual life. No more surprising than this ultimate truth for the believer – the need to live to be forgotten, so that Christ can be remembered!”
David Bruce in “Live to be Forgotten!” devotional shared at Billy Graham Evangelistic Association devotions on 23 March 2021. Special thanks to Gregg Capin for sharing this with me yesterday.
As I reflected on this text, I am reminded that John played his role. He did his part. He served for a season faithfully not to advance his reputation but to point people to Jesus. That’s really why we are here on this earth. Hopefully our generosity will reflect God’s generosity to us. But what does it really mean to live to be forgotten?
In his devotional, Bruce calls for humility and adds that “humility is not thinking less of self – it is not thinking of yourself at all.” So what if we added humility to our generosity? One outcome that is guaranteed. Like John pointed the world to Jesus, our lives will point people to God. May our humility and generosity cause us to be forgotten and Jesus to be remembered.